Following on from my getting married in Paris post, here's what I learnt 18 months later - ten things about being pregnant in Paris.  1. French babies bake for longer in the oven The French calculate 41 weeks as full term compared to 40 weeks in other countries like Australia where I'm from. I'm not sure why there is this variation of one week between country to country because I assume human babies follow similar gestational periods across borders right..?  It can get confusing explaining this to your non-French friends and family but you learn to answ ..read more

For the first time in my life, I was able to witness a breathtakingly snowy Montmartre last week. Snowy Winters aren't that much of a regular occurrence in Paris and even then, you need all these other stars to align in order to be in the right place at the right time.  Not being snowed in, not having to go to work, not having to be anywhere and of course being able to get there before the snow turns into grey sludge are all elements to consider. Hence why I haven't had this opportunity to see Montmartre in the snow since moving here in 2012. And then, there's the whole havin ..read more

For the first time in 30 years, Paris welcomed its heaviest snowfall this week - a whopping 15cm! It might not be a lot for some, but for someone from Australia, this is the equivalent to an avalanche.  A beautifully magical, surreal avalanche of the top things I love in life. PARIS (obviously) and SNOOOOOOWWWW..!!! (if only my baby was with me on this walk, and my Mum, oh and Frenchie haha). Frenchie doesn't share the same level of extreme intense excitement as I do when it comes to snow. Each time we see snow, I turn into this hyperactive yapping puppy on caffeine/Red bull/stimulant ..read more

If there is one quintessentially Parisian exhibition to see this year, it is <Christian Dior, Couturier du Rêve>. Currently on show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs down the road from the Louvre, the exhibition is open until the 7th of January 2018. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the House of Dior, the exhibition puts together over 300 Dior haute couture creations, accessories and objects throughout the years on display. You will be taken on a journey through Christian Dior's life, his beginnings and rise to fame. The exhibition is organised through different colour scheme ..read more

Hey it's okay.. 1. To ask for directions, then not understand the answer but nod along anyway. 2. To proudly execute your perfectly mastered phrase : "ça coûte combien..?" only to completely blank out when given the answer. 3. To question the person who invented French numbers above 70 - seriously what's with the sudden switch to sixty-ten..? We were doing so well there.. 4. That hearing the number 99 gives you a mathematical headache. Quatre-vingt-dix-neuf, 4 by 20 plus 10 plus 9..?? WHY? 5. That the only photos you have of yourself / yourselves on your camera roll are selfies.. 6 ..read more

Following on from A Wedding in Paris, Frenchie and I made a quick trip back to Adelaide, Australia where I'm originally from to meet my extended family and friends. It was a nice chance for him to see the city where I was born and grew up and also to kind of prove that he actually existed all these years while I was living overseas ;)  As with many intercultural and interracial relationships, the balancing act is often played out like a playground see-saw and ours was no exception. We had already had the French wedding, now it was time for something in Australia. Of course the Frenc ..read more

Spring has sprung in Paris..! Probably my favourite time of the year in Paris, Spring has this magical fairy tale effect on the city, like we needed yet another reason to be swept off our feet hey..?  Blush pink cherry blossoms cover the skies, beautiful magnolias bloom from their branches, delicate little petals resembling rose pink snowflakes cloak the ground and the hint of warm sunshine and clear blue skies gently awaken us from our Winter hibernation. While there are many stunning places to visit in Paris during Spring, here are my top five unmissable recommendations. 1. The E ..read more

I originally never planned for any of this to happen. Truth be told, I had decided to move to Paris to ACTUALLY BE SINGLE. I had needed (another) change in my life having moved back to Australia from a stint in London and came across a "now or never" moment at the end of my twenties. The Working Holiday Maker visa for Australians to spend a year in France had an age limit of 18-30 attached to it. I was 30 when I received my visa for Paris.  However, my plans to spend a year in Paris quickly changed when Frenchie and I became serious. We had met randomly, in a bar in Oberkampf, 6 hours be ..read more

Continuing on from our previous post - we finally reached the Alsace region to see France's most famous Christmas markets, the oldest in Europe too. The whole region is incredibly charming, it feels like you have travelled back in time to the Middle Ages or to another era with its characteristic timber framed architecture, to a classic French fairy tale. Here's the essential information: DESTINATION : Alsace region  EXACT LOCATIONS : Strasbourg, Colmar, Eguisheim, Kayserberg and Riquewihr DURATION : 2.5 days - left Paris Friday afternoon, came back Sunday night (ready for work M ..read more

Carrying on from our previous weekend getaway post, here's a quick post about our visit to the Alsace region of France during the Christmas season, via NANCY. I needed to separate it from the others otherwise the Alsace region post would get too big! Here's the essential information: DESTINATION : Alsace Region via Nancy EXACT LOCATION : Nancy DURATION : 2.5 days - left Paris Friday afternoon, came back Sunday night (ready for work Monday morning) DISTANCES AND TRAVEL TIMES : Paris - Nancy (385km, about 4 hours depending on traffic) So I've always wanted to visit the Alsace reg ..read more